A conventional method of attaching carpet to a plastic component in automotive applications is by means of an adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,318 to Rohrlach et al., for example, shows a fabric panel and a carpet that are adhered to an inner motor vehicle door panel. A number of difficulties arise from this method.
For instance, the component must first be produced and then transported to a separate work area for application of the adhesive. There, the adhesive must be applied to either the carpet or the component, and the component and carpet brought together for some period of time. Not only does each of these steps involve significant labor and material costs, but they are relatively inexact processes as well.
Several methods have been proposed for directly bonding carpet and plastic. U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,031 to Strapazzini shows a method for injection molding plastic panels with inserts which are useful as automotive interior trim panels and interior door panels. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,092 to Klobucar et al. shows a process for gas-assisted injection molding a thermoplastic backing or other synthetic resin to a carpet layer.
Typically, vehicle load floors include substantial structural reinforcement, such as metal bars or tubes, to meet the load requirements. Such structure is typically very heavy, and manufacturing costs and complexity are high, therefore improvements are desirable.